Health Library

Pulmonary arteriovenous fistula

Pulmonary arteriovenous fistula is an abnormal connection between an artery and vein in the lungs. As a result, blood passes through the lungs without receiving enough oxygen.

Causes

Pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas are usually the result of abnormal development of the blood vessels of the lung. Most occur in people with Rendu-Osler-Weber disease (ROWD), now commonly called hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). These people often have abnormal blood vessels in many other parts of the body.

Rendu-Osler-Weber disease (ROWD)

Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome is a disorder of the blood vessels that can cause excessive bleeding.

Liver transplant

Outlook (Prognosis)

The outlook for people with HHT is not as good as for those without HHT. For people without HHT, surgery to remove the abnormal vessels usually has a good outcome, and the condition is not likely to return.